The older sibling to the Canon AE-1 Program, the Canon AE-1 is an iconic and well-loved film camera. Whether you are a beginner or a seasoned photographer, the Canon AE-1 offers a great way to learn more about film photography and improve your skills. 

In this article, we explain everything you need to know about this camera and why we love it.

What is the Canon AE-1?

The Canon AE-1 is a single lens reflex (SLR) camera manufactured by Canon from April 1976 until 1984. At its release, the Canon AE-1 was one of the first affordable options with TTL (through the lens) automatic exposure and it is equipped with shutter priority.

The camera was released in silver, as well as a more limited black edition. The black edition of the camera is coated with enamel to make it more hard-wearing and resistant to rust.

Fun fact: the Canon AE-1 shutter sound is also the sound used for the iPhone camera shutter audio.

What features does the Canon AE-1 have?

The Canon AE-1 has all the essentials for creating great film photographs in an easy way. It is an ideal camera for beginners as well as experienced photographers. 

The camera features: 

• Manual shutter speeds 
• Automatic aperture mode
• Built-in light meter
• Bright viewfinder with a split-image prism focusing screen
• Overexposure warning light
• Flash hotshoe
• Manual winding
• Manual ISO settings
• Self-timer mode
• Sturdy build quality

Which lenses does the Canon AE-1 work with?

The Canon AE-1 is usually sold with the standard Canon 50mm f/1.8 lens. This is a nice, lightweight option that is small enough to make sure the camera does not feel bulky. It has a smooth focus ring, is sharp, and bright. As it is not a zoom lens, it is great if you can get up close to subjects, which makes it a great portrait lens. The sample images later on in this blog were taken using the Canon 50mm f/1.8.

Any Canon FD mount lens will fit the Canon AE-1 camera. If the lens you choose has an automatic aperture setting, this is utilised by the camera to provide you with manual shutter speed and automatic aperture. 

The older Canon FL mount lenses can also be used on the camera, however it will not recognise the aperture settings applied on the lens. 

Plenty of companies, other than Canon, created FD mount lenses, which means there are lots of cheap options for lenses on your Canon AE-1. Below are just a few of the ones we stock:

What is the difference between the Canon AE-1 and the Canon AE-1 Program? 

The Canon AE-1 Program was the follow-up model to the Canon AE-1. The Canon AE-1 Program has an added function of automatic shutter speed. If you enjoy selecting your shutter speed manually, there is not much of a difference between the two cameras.

You can read more about the Canon AE-1 Program here:

Is the Canon AE-1 easy to use?

The Canon AE-1 is really easy to use with the through the lens light metering. All you need to do is set the shutter speed using the dial on the top of the camera and the light meter inside will indicate the required aperture setting. You can also set your lens to the automatic aperture mode, which means you only need to adjust the camera's shutter speed. 

What is the viewfinder like inside the Canon AE-1?

Using this camera was my first time using a split image prism focusing screen. It took a little getting used to, but it doesn't take long to adjust to this way of focusing. The basic principle of focusing on this camera is that there is a circle in the centre of the viewfinder with a horizontal line through the middle. To focus, you need to simply adjust the focus on the barrel of the lens until the top and bottom half of the circle line up. 

Below is a diagram showing what you see inside the viewfinder: 

Is the Canon AE-1 comfortable to use?

From an ergonomic perspective, I like having the shutter speed dial in the same place as the advance lever. It means I can keep one hand on the right side of the camera and adjust the shutter speed as well as advance the film. 

The shutter button is able to be locked when I am not using the camera and the light meter is only activated when the shutter is half-pressed.

When the AE-1 was designed, Canon saved some weight on the camera by swapping some metal parts for plastic. The combination of metal and plastic construction means the camera has a nice, quality weight to it, whilst not being too heavy to carry with me everyday.

For people who are transitioning from using a different SLR, I highly recommend reading the instruction manual for this camera. Some of the locations of buttons are not super intuitive and giving the manual a read means you will get the most out of the camera immediately.

Sample Images from the Canon AE-1

Here are some examples from using the camera. It has become my go-to camera for portraits and adventures!

What accessories can you get for the Canon AE-1?

As this camera was a popular consumer SLR, there are plenty of accessories available for it, from limited edition lens caps to motor drives to flashes. 

Final Thoughts on the Canon AE-1

The Canon AE-1 has definitely stolen my heart. I learned to shoot film on an early Canon EOS camera which had far too many controls and so I used automatic settings almost exclusively for a long while. The easy of the through the lens exposure guide guide and single auto setting on the aperture, in retrospect, would have been a much preferred way for me to learn film photography.

The Canon A-series of cameras in general are a fantastic range for beginners to film photography. The Canon AE-1 Program may be preferable to people who are completely new to film as you can use the camera entirely automatically. 

The size and weight of the camera make it perfect for travelling and loading up in a backpack. As well as this, the 50mm f/1.8 lens is a fabulous introductory lens. 

Overall, I am very happy with my Canon AE-1 and am looking forward to using it more!

If you like what we do, but can't buy a camera from us, please consider buying us a cup of coffee! It helps us to keep these resources free, consistent, and accessible.